The present invention relates generally to computer networks and, specifically, to a method and apparatus that allow users to select certain portions of web pages to form xe2x80x9cshortxe2x80x9dweb pages.
The expanded popularity of the World Wide Web (xe2x80x9cthe webxe2x80x9d) has brought new problems for web users. As users obtain more and more information from the web, they must visit greater numbers of different web pages to obtain the information. This information is often contained on several separate web pages or web sites. Alternately, a user may wish to see only a small piece of information that is contained in a very large and complex page or site. The user must search through the pages in which he is not interested to reach the information that he wishes to see.
Many users visit the same sequence of web pages or sites on a daily or a regular basis. For example, some users might check the weather or their stock portfolio on a daily basis. Even though a user may visit the same web pages and/or sites regularly, the user must still take individual actions to visit each of his regularly visited web pages or sites. For example, the user may have to enter the web addresses of each page or click on each page in a list of saved addresses in his browser. This repeated entry of web addresses is time consuming and involves un-needed repetitive action by the user.
What is needed is a way to avoid regularly re-entering the same multiplicity of web addresses and a way to avoid having to navigate through multi-level web sites to reach desired information.
A described embodiment of the present invention allows users to select certain sub-elements of web pages for later viewing. The user can use any of a wide variety of client devices to view the web page, such as a computer, a handheld device, or a cell phone. When the user views the shortened web page at a later time, only the sub-elements of the web page selected by the user are displayed. Thus, the user views only preselected sub-elements of the web page.
Multiple users can share a short page. Such a shared shortpage is called a shared portal. For example, multiple users can place information on a short page. Alternately, multiple users can view a shortpage created by a third party or third parties.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a method for creating a short web page, comprising: allowing a user to choose a subset of elements that appear on an original web page; saving the user""s choices; and creating a short web page that is based on the original web page, and includes the elements chosen by the user in accordance with the user""s saved choices.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a method for creating a short web page, comprising: storing in a memory selection information specifying the elements on a short web page, the short web page being based on an original web page; retrieving the original web page upon which the short web page is based; and creating the short web page from elements on the original web page in accordance with the selection information.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a computer-implemented method performed by a server data processing system, comprising: receiving, from a client, a request for a web page; retrieving the requested web page; sending the requested web page to the client; receiving, from the client, selection information for the requested web page, the selection information indicating a subset of the information of the web page that is smaller than the set of all information on the web page; and storing the selection information in the server data processing system.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a computer-implemented method performed by a server data processing system, comprising: receiving, from a client, a request for a user""s short page; retrieving a web page on which the user""s short page is based; selecting sub-elements of the retrieved web page, in accordance with selection information of the user stored in the server data processing; and sending the user""s short page, containing the selected sub-elements of the retrieved web page to the user.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a computer-implemented method performed by a client data processing system, comprising: sending, by a client, a request for a web page; receiving the requested web page; allowing the user to select sub-elements of the received web page as being hidden or shown, the hidden sub-elements being indicated by selection information; and sending, to a server, the selection information for the web page.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is an apparatus to create a short web page, comprising: a software portion configured to allow a user to choose a subset of elements that appear on an original web page; a software portion configured to save the user""s choices; and a software portion configured to create a short web page that is based on the original web page, and that includes the elements chosen by the user in accordance with the user""s saved choices.
In further accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is an apparatus for creating a short web page, comprising: a software portion configured to store in a memory selection information specifying the elements on a short web page, the short web page being based on an original web page; a software portion configured to retrieve the original web page upon which the short web page is based; and a software portion configured to create the short web page from elements on the original web page in accordance with the selection information.
Advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and equivalents.